New cable modem queries

kgls13349

kgls13349

kgls13349

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Joined
5 Mar 2004
Posts
92
Hi peeps,
I have been wanting to mount my telewest cable modem inside my servers case (i already have my router installed into the 5 1/2" bays on rubber matting to isolate it) i obviously didnt want to take appart the Scientific atlanta Webstar modem telewest gave me as it belongs to them, i decided to buy a modem on ebay, was going to get the exact same one i managed to find but i got attracted to a new boxed Motorola SB5101E (cost me £15 total :D ) i recieved it a lil while ago and have been trying to set it up but i am not having much luck, now heres my problem,

The modem manages to connect to the downstream channel and manages to recieve the upstream parameters and connect the upstream channel but it cannot obtain an IP address using DHCP, i am suspecting it has something to do with how telewest have their network setup, i have tried altering settings but with no luck.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how i could get it working?
or would i have to contact telewest?
would they give me the third degree bout having my own cable modem?

any replys will be greatly appreciated thank you :)
 
It won't work, because Telewest won't let it work.
You'd certainly have to contact them to have even a hope of it working, but doubt they'll let you randomly set up your own modem.
 
You need to get the MAC address of the cable modme registered with Telewest before it'll work. The last I heard, the cable companies were refusing point blank to allow modems that weren't supplied by them to be used.
 
Cant you just tell the new cable modem to fake its MAC address so it looks like you're still using your "proper" Telewest modem?

I know my DSL modem can do that, surely its the same with Cable modems?
 
Thanks for the prompt replys people, even if it is confiming what i dreaded, spose ill just have to half destroy telewests modem, see how they like that :p

Le_Petit_Lapin: from what i can tell theres no cloning ability on my modem at least nor telewests modem :( (PS i think its more routers that do mac address cloning than modems)

I can see why they dont allow other modems to be used, cuz of ppl uncapping their modems, but im not doing that, i dont care if they was to monitor my every move with it, i just want to be able to mount it inside my server :(:(


What about if i was to get an exact copy of the modem im using now and try using that, when it dont work i could call the engineers out so they get it working, the engineers never know what their doing, would both modems still work cuz both mac addresses would be ont he system? or is it a case of one out, one in?
 
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Le Petit Lapin, you can't do that.

The WAN mac address on the cable modem is fixed, and AFAIK cannot be changed (at least not easily - an engineer with the right tools might be able to), as most Cable ISP's lock the account to the modem's MAC address as a security feature (one modem MAC address per account).

The only way to enable a cable modem on a modern cable network is to ring the ISP and register it.
However as NTL/BY always supply the modems these days they won't allow you to register it (I beleive the installer/engineer who fits it has to do it these days).


Going back a few years NTL could/would let you register the mac address yourself if you rang up, as at the time the customers had to buy the modem themselves rather than rent it.
I know, as i'm one of the relatively few NTL customers who actually owns his modem - and I had to ring NTL to register my current one when the original one died and 3Com replaced it under warrantee (back in about 2002/3, I had to get the modem replaced myself as NTL would have charged £75 for the callout as it was "my equipment").


It's also worth noting, that NTL/BY probably have a record of all modems ever connected to their networks, so if one has been bought on Ebay or similar that belonged to them (and was rented out but not returned) it will probably show up on their system as such.
 
:( what gives them the right to dictate what harware users can have, takes the preverbial **** (if ADSL wasnt so expensive i think i would get that, at least you pwn the modem then)

Thanks for your help anyway people
 
find out the mac addy that your other modem uses and see if u can, clone the other modem with it, should work then :)

good luck
 
Werewolf said:
Le Petit Lapin, you can't do that.
Click to expand...

Mmm.....you're right, I just checked the modem and it didnt have the MAC address option. It was the router I was thinking of. :o

Werewolf said:
The only way to enable a cable modem on a modern cable network is to ring the ISP and register it.
However as NTL/BY always supply the modems these days they won't allow you to register it (I beleive the installer/engineer who fits it has to do it these days).

Going back a few years NTL could/would let you register the mac address yourself if you rang up, as at the time the customers had to buy the modem themselves rather than rent it.

It's also worth noting, that NTL/BY probably have a record of all modems ever connected to their networks, so if one has been bought on Ebay or similar that belonged to them (and was rented out but not returned) it will probably show up on their system as such.
Click to expand...

NTL modems can be registered online even though the cable modem isnt allowed to access the internet as a whole. I had to do this with my new NTL modem, when I missed him turning up at my house. He shoved the modem through the letterbox for me and gave me an IP address to go to to register the NTL modem on NTL's network. I might still have that address lying about if its any use to anyone here, I could try and find it. Completely off topic now though.
 
kgls13349 said:
:( what gives them the right to dictate what harware users can have, takes the preverbial ****
Click to expand...
What gives you the right to attach your own equipment to their network? Talk about arrogance.

The terms of the contract you signed will no doubt clearly state that you are not allowed to replace the cable modem they supply with your own nor will you be permitted to dismantle the supplied modem which, as you've said yourself, doesn't belong to you.

If you don't like the terms of their service then no-one is forcing you to be a customer.
 
kgls13349 said:
:( what gives them the right to dictate what harware users can have, takes the preverbial **** (if ADSL wasnt so expensive i think i would get that, at least you pwn the modem then)

Thanks for your help anyway people
Click to expand...

Mainly because NTL/BY set the rules, and unlike ASDL where individual phonelines are activated (so they can turn it on/off house by house at the exchange), with cable the line goes to multiple houses, and a single user with a dodgy modem can screw the service for everyone connected to the line (cause problems with reception/cable service).

You sign up for any ISP or service you abide by their rules.

The flip side is, that unlike ASDL you shouldn't ever have arguements with them about it being the modem, or the line at fault as either way it's their equipment.
 
i wouldnt mind, they cant even maintin their end of the contract, im foreverlasting being cut off, for no reason

Nevermind, thank you for the replys
 
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